zlacker

>>it all boils down to this:does more time make people offend less? does simply adding more time reduce recidivism rates? no, it does not.

No that is not what is boils down to, i dont even agree that prison should be viewed as a punishment at all

Prison should be for separating a person that is a danger to others until such time they are no longer a danger to others. Judges often have a bad record at picking who will be a danger and who will not thus by default for public safety the public demands people convicted of crimes be sent away for a long time to maximize the possible safety of the public at the expense of the individuals that get caught up in the system

>>phpist+(OP)
I'd agree that prison should be reserved for people who have proven themselves to be dangerous and a risk to others, but I think a few days/weeks in a jail cell as a "time out" can still be a valid form of punishment and that it may be needed to keep people behind bars in other instances as well (flight risks for example).

We know that past a certain point harsher punishments in general are not a deterrent to people committing crimes so we need the public to grow a spine and reject the idea of excessive sentences since while it makes them feel safe, it's just putting them at further risk. Some facts are a hard sell to people though, especially when they're afraid.

We have a huge problem with mass incarceration in the US and the treatment of people we lock up and the conditions of those facilities need major reform, but I don't think we should abandon the idea of locking people up as a punishment entirely.